George Washington letter to Robert Cary, 1 May 1759

TO ROBERT CARY, MERCHANT, LONDON.

Williamsburg, 1 May, 1759.

SIR,

The enclosed is the clergyman's certificate of my marriage with Mrs. Martha Custis, properly, as I am told, authenticated. You will, therefore, for the future please to address all your letters, which relate to the affairs of the late Daniel Parke Custis, to me, as by marriage I am entitled to a third part of that estate, and am invested likewise with the care of the other two thirds by a decree of our General Court, which I obtained in order to strengthen the power I before had in consequence of my wife's administration.

I have many letters of yours in my possession unanswered ; but at present this serves only to advise you of the above change, and at the same time to acquaint you, that I shall continue to make you the same consignments of tobacco as usual, and will endeavour to increase them in proportion as I find myself and the estate benefited thereby.

The scarcity of the last year's crop, and the consequent high prices of tobacco, would, in any other case, have induced me to sell the estate's crop in this country; but, for a present, and I hope small advantage only, I did not care to break the chain of correspondence, that has so long subsisted.

On the other side is an invoice of some goods, which I beg you to send me by the first ship, bound either to the Potomac or Rappahannoc, as I am in immediate want of them. Let them be insured, and, in case of accident, re-shipped without delay. Direct for me at Mount Vernon, Potomac River, Virginia ; the former is the name of my seat, the other of the river on which it is situated. I am, &c.